US2205015A - Awning enclosure - Google Patents

Description

June 18, 1940. c.' D. www n AL 2205,01'5' MINING ENGLUSURE 'Filed Aug. 2s, 1957 :s Smets-sheet 2 nventot;

LYDE D Lowes. PAUL. E. PAHN.

' Gttomeg C. D. LOWRY El' AL June 18, 1940.

AWNING ENCLOSURE Filed Aug. 23, 1957 3 Shoets-Sheet 3 w mY me nw 3o D. E m

N. M y E m Gttorneg Patented June 18, 1940 PATENT OFFICE AWNING ENCLOSURE- Clyde D. Lowry and raul E. Spann, Toledo, ohio,

assignors to Libbey-Owens-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation o! @hic Application August 23, 1937, Serial No. 160,370

2 Claims.

equipped with the awning, but which will also serve to protect the awning from the weather when not in use.

l Another important objectoi the invention is the provision of an enclosure which will completely conceal the awning from view when in retracted or rolled up position, and which embodies a hinged cover plate or ap together with *l novel means for eecting the opening and closing thereof; said iiap actuating means being mounted in said enclosure and hidden from view when the said liap is closed.

Another important object of the` invention is 2o the provision of an awning enclosure of the above character including a novel type of hinge for mounting the flap which will afford a wide range of movement to the ap; eliminate the necessity for the usual pintle; be of pleasing appearance,

practically unnoticeable, and protected from dirt,

rain, etc.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willV become more apparentduring the course of the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings:

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a `building structureI such as a store front, having associated therewith an awning enclosure constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the awning enclosure taken substantially on line 2-#2 of Fig. 1; l Fig. 3 is a sectional/view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2; I y

. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the hinge for the Y cover plate or ap';

5 Fig. 5 is a vertical detail sectional view of the i (ci. zes-1) mounted the customary roller type awning, said awning being completely received within the enclosure when in rolled up or retracted position and thereby concealed from view. It will, of course, be readily appreciated that the-present 5 invention may be employed in conjuction with any desired type of store front or window.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the awning enclosure C is mounted in an opening D inthe building wall E. 'I'he enclosure proper comprises a chanw nel I0, which is set back from the face of the building, and the forwardly extending bottom plate- II and top plate 'I2 secured to the respective anges of the channel I0. The bottom and top plates II and I2 are provided at their forward ends with downwardly and upwardly ex' tending anges I3 and I4 respectively which conform to and harmonize with the front of the building. The front of the enclosure is closed by a cover plate or iiap I6 hinged at its upper end B0 to the top plate I2 by means of the improved type of hinge` designated in its entirety by the numeral I6 and which will be hereinafter more specifically described. The flap I5 is provided at its lower end withy an inturned flange I'l which 25 is adapted to be received within a channel I8 'formed in the bottom plate I I when the said iiap is swung to closed position, as indicated in full lines inFlg. 2.

'Ihe roller I9, upon which the awning 20 1s 30 wound, extends longitudinally within the encloknown in the art, mayjbe employed to effect the raising and lowering of the awning, so that adetailed showing and description ofrsuch means 40 is not thought to be necessary.

As best shown'in Fig. 4 the hinge I6 is formed of two hinge sections 22 and23 pivotally associated with one anotherv and carried by the top plate I2 and ilap I5'respectively. The hinge sec- 45 tin 22 comprises a strip 22' of arcuate or semicircular formation attached at its upper end vto the top plate I2 by a web 24 and provided at its lower end with an upwardly bent flange 25 terminating in a.cylindrical bead 26. The hinge section 23 also4 comprises a strip 23' of arcuate or semi-circular formation oppositely disposed with respect to the strip 22 and secured atits lower end to the flap I5. Formed at the upper endof the strip 23' is an inwardly bent iiange 65 21 which terminates in a semi-cylindrical bead 28 whichA is received between the arcuate strip 22 and bead 2B, being supported upon the latter, which serves as a bearing therefor. The bead 28 conforms in curvature to the inner surface of the strip 22' and outer surface of bead 26, so that upon'swinging movement of the ilap I5, the said bead 28 will pivot upon the said bead 26. In Fig,- 4, thev position of the hinge sections 22 and 23 is shown in full lines when the :Ilap I5 is closed and in broken lines when-said flap is open. As will be apparent, this type of hinge is very inconspicuous and will in no way detract from the appearance of the enclosure. Moreover, the movable parts of the hinge are eectively protected from dirt, rain, etc. In addition, the hinge is of extremely simple construction and'eliminates the necessity for the usual pintle. I

'I'he invention also contemplates the provision of novel means for effecting the :opening and closing of the ap I5, said means being mounted in the enclosure and concealed from view but operated from a convenient point exteriorly 'oi saidenclosure To this end, there is arranged in the upper 'end of the enclosure and adjacent the flap I5, a longitudinally extending actuating or push bar 29, said bar extending substantially the entire length of the enclosure and slidabll1 carried by a plurality of substantially U-shaped brackets 30 secured to the underside of the top plate I2. The push bar 29 is provided adjacent one end thereof with a series of rack teeth 3| with which is adapted to mesh a pinion 32`xed to the upper end of avvertical shaft 33.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the shaft 33 may be arranged at one side of the store front and can pass downwardly through the wall of the building, being operated atl its lower end by a crank 33 insertable by` the operator through'anopening35 in the said wall.- The opening 33 can be normally closedby fa suitable plate if desirei. T'he vertical shaft 3 3 is journaled at Yits upper end in the top plate, I2 and the pinion 32 may be housed in a casing 33.

Carried uponvthe under side of the push bar 23, preferably at regularly spacedintervals along fromthe inner side edge minates in a-relatively The amount of transverse taper gradually toward the end a as tliethickness of the block also increases. AThis particular shape of wedge or cam block is of advantage in that, as the blocks engage the lever arms 33 to swingthe ilap I3 open, the said lever arms will alwaysbearupon a relatively wide, dat surface onthe blocks, thereby resulting'in a sturdier, more emcient lconstruction as well as reducing the wear onthe said blocks 31 and lever arms 33. In other words.

the transverse taper of the cam or wedge blocks` corresponds to the arc through 4which the lever arms 33 is swung during the opening and closing of the nap I3.

In operation, whenthe awning-23 is notbeing thereof, areo a piurality'of cam orl used, it is wound upon the drum I9 whereupon the entire'awning as well as the awning pole 2| will be completely contained within the enclosure and concealed from view by the nap I5. When the ilap is closed, the push bar 23 is moved to the left in Fig. 1, so that the cam or wedge blocks 31 will be out. of engagement with the lever arms 33 as shown in Fig. 5. When it is then desired to use the awning, the operator rotates the shaft 33 to revolve the pinion 32 carried at the upper end thereof. 'Ihe pinion, meshing with the rack teeth 3|, will move the push bar 29 `to the right in Fi l, and when this is done, the blocksv 31 enga ng the upper surfaces of the lever arms 33 will force the said lever arms downwardly and as a consequence swing the Bap I5 outwardly, to open position. the swinging movementA of the iiap being permitted by the hinge construction Ii above described. When the ap has been moved to open position, the wedge blocks 31 will be disposed above the lever arms, as shown in Fig. 6, and will be retained in such position until it is desired to close the flap, at which time the shaft 33 is turned in the opposite direction to move the push bar 29 to the left in Fig. l, whereupon the blocks 31 will be moved out of engagement be readily appreciated that it is not limited to any particular use or to the use of any special materials. This type of enclosure not only ef- Viectively protects the awning, when in retracted `position, from exposure to the weather but also. by concealing the awning when not in use, adds greatly to the appearance oi' the store front. 'Ihe style of the enclosure, including the size and shape thereof, can be made to harmonize with and iit into the general appearance and architecture of the store front. Even when the awning is in use, the ilap II, maintained in an inclined position, will still add to the appearance oi the store front as it will conceal to a large extent the drum around which the 'awning is wound, as well as the actuating means for the nap. Furthermore, the flap, when in such position, will also`give substantially full protection og the working parts inside the enclosure against the weather and dust and dirt. f

It-is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken es the preferred embodiment of the same.

ndmacvsrmuscnangmtneshapauzeand arrangement oi parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit 'of the invention or the scope of the subioined claims.

I We claim:

- 1. An enclosure for awnings and the like having an opening, a iiap for said opening hinged at its upper end, a lever arm carried by said ilapn.

bar extending .lmgitudinally within-.said and mounted for' hm'izontal sliding movement. and a cam member carried'by said 1 push bar and e said lever ann upon sliding movemen'fo! the said push bar for eilecting thleopeningofsaidarhsaidealnrnembereomprisingablocktaperingfrnoneendtothe pposite end thereof and also transversely from tsinneredgetoitsouteredge.

an opening, aiiap for said openinghinged its upper end,ale verarmcarrledby said nap, pulhbarlongihidinally withinsaid pag b3 .Anenclosureforawningsandthelikehav-- of said enclosure for effecting the rotation of said pinion to cause sliding movement of the push bar, said cam member comprising a block tapering from one end to the opposite end thereof and also transversely from its inner edge to its outer edge. 5

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